Seems smart to get the hell out of dodge before hundreds of thousands of people don't get paid because their President and the entire GOP are garbage.

Don't let the assholes in the Senate off that easy. They could put a bill to reopen the government on tRump's desk anytime. Mc just has to let it go to a vote and he refuses to do that. He (again) demonstrates that he is the biggest piece of shit in our government and has been for quite some time now. Truly he is the more evil if only because he is actually competent.

“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.” - H.L. Mencken

National park site in Trump hotel manages to find funding to stay open.

As I mentioned in my screed earlier today on this there is now a FOIA request so we can hopefully get more info on why.

Member berries want to know if anyone members when we all cared about ANWR and any attempt to open it to exploration was front page news for days? I member. Member when the Pebble Mine was also important news? I member.

Maybe two of the most significant natural areas in the USA are now going to get seriously hammered and thanks to Mr. I dominate all the news cycles with my buffoonery, nobody is paying a damn bit of attention.

My blog (mostly photos): Fort Ephemera - My Flickr Photostream
“You only get one sunrise and one sunset a day, and you only get so many days on the planet. A good photographer does the math and doesn’t waste either.” ―Galen Rowell

Moments ago on the Senate floor, Ben Cardin asked for unanimous consent from all senators to pass one of the House-approved bills to reopen the government. Mitch McConnell objected, calling the House-passed bills "an absolutely pointless show vote." Via ABC

There are three ways to not tell the truth: lies, damned lies, and statistics.

President Donald Trump has been briefed on a plan that would use the Army Corps of Engineers and a portion of $13.9 billion of Army Corps funding to build 315 miles of barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to three U.S. officials familiar with the briefing.

The money was set aside to fund projects all over the country including storm-damaged areas of Puerto Rico through fiscal year 2020, but the checks have not been written yet and, under an emergency declaration, the president could take the money from these civil works projects and use it to build the border wall, said officials familiar with the briefing and two congressional sources.

Under the proposal, the officials said, Trump could dip into the $2.4 billion allocated to projects in California, including flood prevention and protection projects along the Yuba River Basin and the Folsom Dam, as well as the $2.5 billion set aside for reconstruction projects in Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria.

Especially with prominent allies calling for him to abuse his power. Graham has basically thrown in the towel on his reputation. It was hanging by a thread but ... another sycophant to the worst President in American history. What a dope.

Subtext: "This shutdown is killing us so please do something drastic to get us out of the corner you painted yourself into."

On the bright side, just think of all the new avenues this path opens up when Trump is out of the White House.

- Too many people are dying for lack of health care. DECLARE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY TO FUND MEDICAID FOR ALL!
- Too many people are dying from gun violence. DECLARE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY TO FUND RESEARCH AND OPTIONS FOR REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE!
- Too much damage is being done to the planet due to fossil fuels. DECLARE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY TO FUND CLEAN ENERGY!
- Too many people dying from opiods. DECLARE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY FOR FREE TREATMENT OPTIONS!

That is fucking insane. The Dems have had the house for what? A week and a half? For 2 years the reps have had full control of 2 branches of government? It's the dems fault that the president is going to abuse the power of the office to build a boondoggle that no one wants, not even the reps?

Dobbs has got to go. He might as well be Alex Jones at this point. Is he on the administration's payroll?

That is fucking insane. The Dems have had the house for what? A week and a half? For 2 years the reps have had full control of 2 branches of government? It's the dems fault that the president is going to abuse the power of the office to build a boondoggle that no one wants, not even the reps?

Dobbs has got to go. He might as well be Alex Jones at this point. Is he on the administration's payroll?

It is all more hilarious considering what the GOP did to Obama for 6 *years*.

This evening on the PBS Newshour, the chair of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisors, Kevin Hassett, said this about workers who are going without pay as the government shutdown nears its fourth week:

Right now about 25% of government workers are furloughed. Which means that they are not allowed to go to work.

But then when the shutdown ends, they go back to work, and they get their back pay.

A huge share of government workers were going to take vacation days, say between Christmas and New Year’s.

And then we have a shutdown, and so they can’t go to work. So then they have the vacation, but they don’t have to use their vacation days. And then they come back, and they get their back pay.

Then in some sense they’re better off.

So it's really just a free (eventually) paid vacation for all those federal layabouts.

Time and tide melt the snowman.

There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, where the sea's asleep and the rivers dream, people made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice and somewhere else the tea is getting cold. Come on, Ace, we've got work to do.
-- The Doctor

This evening on the PBS Newshour, the chair of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisors, Kevin Hassett, said this about workers who are going without pay as the government shutdown nears its fourth week:

Right now about 25% of government workers are furloughed. Which means that they are not allowed to go to work.

But then when the shutdown ends, they go back to work, and they get their back pay.

A huge share of government workers were going to take vacation days, say between Christmas and New Year’s.

And then we have a shutdown, and so they can’t go to work. So then they have the vacation, but they don’t have to use their vacation days. And then they come back, and they get their back pay.

Then in some sense they’re better off.

So it's really just a free (eventually) paid vacation for all those federal layabouts.

Hassett, you dumb fuck. You usually get your paycheck during your vacation allowing you to do the usual mundane things like pay for food or not get behind on your mortgage or other bills. I hope someone called him out over such an idiotic statement.

tl;dr

Wise words of warning from Smoove B: Oh, how you all laughed when I warned you about the semen. Well, who's laughing now?

Whatever Dobbs has become was pretty much where I decided I don't want Fox to get money from me any more. I really *do* need to cut the cord. I was doing the legwork over Christmas and then I got sick and nothing mattered any more. (Though my initial research shows that Comcast may have an opportunity for me to strangle the cord instead of cutting it completely)

This evening on the PBS Newshour, the chair of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisors, Kevin Hassett, said this about workers who are going without pay as the government shutdown nears its fourth week:

Right now about 25% of government workers are furloughed. Which means that they are not allowed to go to work.

But then when the shutdown ends, they go back to work, and they get their back pay.

A huge share of government workers were going to take vacation days, say between Christmas and New Year’s.

And then we have a shutdown, and so they can’t go to work. So then they have the vacation, but they don’t have to use their vacation days. And then they come back, and they get their back pay.

Then in some sense they’re better off.

So it's really just a free (eventually) paid vacation for all those federal layabouts.

I mentioned it earlier, that's what the FBI guy was telling me. He's "off" and will eventually get paid for fixing his house and hanging out with his kids and whatnot. He has colleagues who have to work and will eventually get paid for working. It causes a bit of tension and resentment.

Obviously it's more applicable to the whiter collar guys who don't have to worry about bills week to week.

" Hey OP, listen to my advice alright." -Tha General"No scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer." -Stigler's Law of Eponymy, discovered by Robert K. MertonMYT

I'm still struggling to understand how you can use "emergency" funds to build a wall that will take years to construct.settle all the eminent domain lawsuits, environmental impact studies, and contracting processes required before construction can even begin.

FTFY.

I'm still very surprised they're pursuing this course though. Trump's an idiot, but McConnell is smart enough to know that the pendulum is likely to swing back the other way, and setting this precedent could be dangerous for him. One theory is that they are pushing Trump to do this because it gives them a "get out of the shutdown free" card, knowing that it'll get stopped by the courts

It's a win/win no matter what. If he enacts the powers and somehow magically it works (it won't), he wins. If the courts strike him down (they will), he gets to demonize the activist judges that Obama appointed and Hillary supported. He gets to claim he tried to fulfill his campaign promise, but the Democrats don't want border security and they stopped him. Donate Trump 2020 to fight them!

The worst part of all this is that good old Mitch McConnell gets to escape completely unscathed as if he wasn't instrumental in forcing the President's hand. Once again, maintaining his status as most evil elected official.

It's crazy, but a part of me is rooting for Trump to do the emergency powers option, because that seems like the quickest way to end this shutdown. Like, if he did that today, it's plausible that I could be back at work on Monday or Tuesday (with a wild card in that I'm not totally sure how Democrats would respond, beyond filing a lawsuit).

I'm still struggling to understand how you can use "emergency" funds to build a wall that will take years to construct.settle all the eminent domain lawsuits, environmental impact studies, and contracting processes required before construction can even begin.

FTFY.

I'm still very surprised they're pursuing this course though. Trump's an idiot, but McConnell is smart enough to know that the pendulum is likely to swing back the other way, and setting this precedent could be dangerous for him. One theory is that they are pushing Trump to do this because it gives them a "get out of the shutdown free" card, knowing that it'll get stopped by the courts

Didn't stop them from proceeding last time and the fall out is still happening more'n ten years later. That last phase (of fencing) was mostly done in two years, eminent domain lawsuits, access, environment, and local utilities, etc... be damned. Or at least that was the case from my reading. "Obama's Wall" should be serving as an advisory of what not to do. Like for once, you could "thanks Obama" and have it come close to being reality, rather taking it going all Tim Allen "so I fixed it" on it.

If McConnell has shown me one thing over the last decade, it's that he has not concern for precedent. His only concern is preserving and advancing power. Worst American. I have no idea if he is beholden to anyone or if he is simply GOP uber alles but the only consistencies he has are "Will the people of Kentucky keep my in power? Will exercising my power shut down opposition to the GOP?" The rule of law is a scape goat for that piece of shit. It's not something he'll ever adhere to.

(with a wild card in that I'm not totally sure how Democrats would respond, beyond filing a lawsuit).

They should respond by passing a budget that removes $5B from the Army Corps of Engineers, since they appear to have just that much in excess cash in their budget. It can better be used elsewhere....say, DACA funding.

We all know that the Dems aren't going to cave at this point. Why would they? So just declare the damn emergency so that it gets ripped apart in court. This whole thing is insane. I could do it, I should do it, I'm almost 100% sure I'll do it. Seriously that's the master negotiator? I want a damn time machine to warp to whenever this ahole no longer exists.

Capitalism tries for a delicate balance: It attempts to work things out so that everyone gets just enough stuff to keep them from getting violent and trying to take other people’s stuff.

We all know that the Dems aren't going to cave at this point. Why would they? So just declare the damn emergency so that it gets ripped apart in court. This whole thing is insane. I could do it, I should do it, I'm almost 100% sure I'll do it. Seriously that's the master negotiator? I want a damn time machine to warp to whenever this ahole no longer exists.

I would rather risk the removal him from before his existance started. And MM. And Newt for that matter since he seemed to start the entire "we are not going to find working solutions we are just going to demand our way" behavior. Although others would probably rise in their place and do the same terrible stuff.

“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.” - H.L. Mencken

So the BLM is not just continuing oil leasing on ANWR, apparently even though small business loans are frozen at the moment, we have plenty of time to continue oil and gas leasing activities around the nation.

The Trump administration’s prioritization of energy exploration means the oil and gas business, one of the most heavily regulated industries in the United States, says it has yet to feel any real consequence from the shutdown.

“To this point, we have not seen any major effects of the shutdown on our industry,” Mike Sommers, president and chief executive of the oil and gas business’s chief lobbying organization, the American Petroleum Institute, told reporters Tuesday.

The department’s Bureau of Land Management, for example, has accepted and published 22 new drilling permit applications in Alaska, North Dakota, New Mexico and Oklahoma between the start of the shutdown and Wednesday afternoon. Officials said they did not anticipate any delays in the processing of either permit applications or requests for inspections of drilling operations on federal land.

The Bureau of Energy Management, which gets a large portion of its budget from fees, is operating at near full strength. Nearly every job is exempt “in order to comply with the administration’s America First energy strategy” and expand leases to the oil and gas industry -- “work must continue toward” selling leases that could lead to drilling on the outer continental shelf, according to the agency’s contingency plan.

But elsewhere the department says it is not even accepting other sorts of filings — such as public-records requests from journalists, activists and other members of the public made under the Freedom of Information Act — due to the shutdown.

“It seems that the oil companies are getting services from the Department of the Interior when the public is not,” said Kelly Fuller, energy and mining campaign director at the Western Watershed Project, an advocacy group.

The department is also pressing ahead with its goal of preparing the Alaskan Arctic for more oil and gas drilling. The department decided to go ahead with four public listening sessions about BLM’s push to define what activities can be permitted at the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska because doing so would help the scoping process move forward. The sessions, which were slated to wrap up before Interior stops accepting comments on Jan. 22, had been postponed because of the Nov. 30 earthquake that hit Alaska.

My blog (mostly photos): Fort Ephemera - My Flickr Photostream
“You only get one sunrise and one sunset a day, and you only get so many days on the planet. A good photographer does the math and doesn’t waste either.” ―Galen Rowell

Joe Walsh seems to oscillate between being self-aware of what's going on with the GOP and totally batshit insane about GOP subjects on a fairly regular basis.

My guess is he's setting himself up for a comeback as a more mavericky than all the other mavericks put together candidate. He'd still vote for the conservative/GOP agenda, of course (probably even more in lock step than McCain or Flake), but he'd issue withering commentary about both sides while doing it.